a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ammunition magazines for use in firearms, and, more particularly, to an apparatus in which a plurality of individual magazines is mounted together to form a multiple magazine assembly in which the individual magazines are alternatively receivable in the firearm.
b. Related Art
Many firearms utilize magazines to hold a supply of ammunition. One common type is a detachable magazine that can be removed from the firearm to be loaded, and then reinserted in a well or other opening leading to the receiver of the gun. Detachable magazines have the particular advantage that multiple magazines can be loaded ahead of time and then used one after another in a rapid fashion when needed; the convenience of having multiple loaded magazines on hand is offset, however, by the need to somehow carry them, for example, in a pouch or pocket, for example.
One category of firearms commonly using detachable magazines is semiautomatic rifles. A particular benefit of semiautomatic rifles is the rapid rate of fire made possible by the auto-loading action, and this advantage is complemented by the rapid-change nature of detachable magazines. This combination of features is notably successful in the case of .22 rimfire semiautomatic rifles, which enjoy the added advantage of comparatively inexpensive ammunition. One non-limiting example of such a rifle is the Ruger Model 10/22™.
Over the years, many attempts have been made to give semiautomatic rifles increased magazine capacity. The most basic approach has been to simply increase the size of the magazine, as exemplified by long vertical/curved magazines (e.g., “banana clips”) and large drum magazines. This approach suffers the obvious problems of bulk and weight, but perhaps the most significant drawback has been the difficulty in achieving reliable feeding of the ammunition, owing in part to the use of long springs, ramps and other mechanisms generally inherent in such devices. Many of the feeding problems also stem from the fact that the geometry of the cartridges is based on their principal purpose of functioning within the chamber/barrel of the firearm rather than being optimized for being fed in long rows or columns; this is particularly problematic in case of .22 rimfire cartridges (e.g., .22 long rifle, .22 long, .22 short), which are old designs that originated long before the advent of semiautomatic rifles. The intractable nature of this problem is illustrated by the ongoing struggle with reliable feeding encountered with long “banana” clips and similar magazines presently marketed for .22 semiautomatic rifles.
As an alternative to simply larger/longer magazines, some efforts have been made at joining a plurality of magazines together in a composite structure. A basic approach has been to clamp or similarly connect a plurality of otherwise standard magazines end-to-end or side-to-side so that the magazines can be inverted or shifted side-to-side to feed a fresh supply of rounds into the firearm; examples of efforts in this vein are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,194,837; 7,668,479; 5,279,059; 4,685,238; 4,484,403; 3,191,333; and 2,289,067. As a group, such devices tend to create excessively bulky projections, to the point of rendering the rifle unwieldy, as well as being susceptible to separation and/or damage during use in the field. A related approach is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,506, in which a plurality of long, curved, somewhat “banana-shaped” clips are joined together by cooperating external lugs and grooves, which offers the advantage of high capacity but which creates a large, star-shaped mass below the rifle that is bulky and subject to being struck against obstructions while being carried; also, a reliance on an elongate clip mechanism renders the device susceptible to potential feeding problems.
A notable advantage of the Ruger Model 10/22™ (and certain other rifles) in this regard is the use of a rotary drum mechanism within the detachable magazine, which combines the advantages of compactness and extremely reliable feeding of cartridges.
Due to the excellence of its design, many or most Ruger 10/22™ shooters have acquired multiple factory magazines to go with their rifle or rifles. The device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,976 represents an attempt to capitalize on this situation, using two-sided and four-sided spacer-shaped mounts to which multiple units of the standard, rotary Ruger 10/22™ magazine are glued. Although successful to the extent of allowing multiple stock magazines to be used as a group, a very serious drawback of the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,976 is that once glued together the magazines cannot be removed to be replaced or used individually. For example, in the event that one of the rotary magazines become damaged, it cannot be removed, and so the serviceable magazines must remain connected to the defective unit for the duration; this is a significant problem, since the original magazines are not inexpensive, and an assembly containing four of the units represents a significant investment for the shooter.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an apparatus for joining together multiple ammunition magazines to form an assembly in which the individual magazines are alternately insertable into the firearm, while keeping the assembly compact and avoiding excessive bulk and projections that would encumber use of the firearm. Furthermore, there exists a need for such an apparatus that is able to make use of multiple original equipment-type magazines. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus that is able to use original equipment rotary-type detachable magazines, so as to avoid the feeding problems common with banana-type magazines and other magazines in which long stacks or rows of cartridges are advanced in a generally linear direction. Still further, there exists a need for an apparatus in which one or more of the individual magazines can be removed if necessary or desired, in order to effect a disassembly or to replace a damaged or otherwise inoperative magazine in the assembly. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus in which the components are economical to manufacture and durable and long-lasting in use.